Corn-shock loader and unloader.



No. 845,955. 1 PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

F. JOHNSON.

CORN SHOCK LOADER AND UNLOADER;

APPLICATION FILED APR.23,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J .I S; l 50 57 42 I f 24 E 59 f a 15 45 I 3 7 D 29 5 \\V 1 44 4 a l'l'oznegp FRANK JOHNSON, OF FREDERICKSBURG, MISSOURI.

CORN-SHOCK'LOADER AND UNLOADER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed April 23,1906. Serial No. 313,291-

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at F redericksburg, in the county of Gasconade and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Shock Loaders and Unloaders and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in shock-loaders, and more particularly to the one set forth in Patent No. 630,7 7 9, granted to me August 8, 1899.

The object of the present invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of shock-loaders of this character, and thereby render them more durable and less expensive in construction and more efficient in operation, so that the shock may be compressed and picked up without pulling it out of plumb or destroying its shape to such extent that it will not stand upright when again lowered upon the ground. after transportation.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved shock-loader. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view showing a shock upon the compression-frame when in a partially-elevated position. Flg. 4 1s a rear elevation of the machine. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail sectional views taken, respectively, on the planes indicated by the lines 5 5 and 6 6 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a detail view showing a device for connecting the ends of the cable.

My improved shock-loader comprises front and rear axles 1 2, upon which are mounted the usual supporting-wheels. These axles are connected by forwardly-converging side bars or sills 3, preferably of angle metal, and connected at suitable points by angle-metal cross bars or beams 4. The front axle is ivotally mounted upon the usual king-bolt 5 at the front end of the frame or running-gear formed by these angle-metal bars or beams, and the rear axle is'hingedly connected to the rear end of the side bars or sills 3, so that the shock-lifting and compression frame 6,, which it carries, may be swung from a horizontalto. a vertical position to elevate, and support a shock upon the machine. This shock-lifting and compression frame 6 comprises a rearwardly or laterally extending tongue or pole 7, which is adapted to be run through the shock to be lifted and which is connected to, the center of the axle by a bolt or the like 8.. It is held at right angles to the axle by a pair of diagonal braces 9 and an angle-metal beam 10, which extends transversely across the top of the lifting-pole 7 and which is connected by pairs of upperand lower angle-metal bars or braces 11 12 to the outer portions of the rear axle 2, as shown. The extended ends 13 of these bars 11 12 are bent and shaped to receive the rear ends of the side beams or sills 3 between them, and pivot-bolts 14 are passed through alining openings in said parts to pivotally or hingedly connect the rear axle and its frame 6 to the machine.

While the pivots 14 connect the front frame and the rear frame it will be understood that the latter rotates or swings upon the spindle in the hubs of the rear wheels. The outer ends of the cross bar or beam 10., against which the shock is compressed, are bent angularly in a rearward direction to form gathering-arms 1 5, which latter are strengthened by braces 16, provided between their outer ends and the upper bars 11.

In order to prevent the base of the shock from coming in contact with the rear wheels, I provide upon the cross beam or bar 10 downwardly and outwardly projecting deflector-arms 17, which are also strengthened by braces 18, connected at their inner ends. to the bottom of the axle 2.

The tongue or pole 7 may be made of any length, according to the size of the shock to be handled; but when it is so short that it does not project entirely through the shock I employ in connection with it a transverse ICO spear 19, which is forced through the outer portion of the shock at right angles to the spear or pole 7 and beneath the same, as,

shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. This is preferably a longitudinally-tapered pole or bar, with which the cords or cables which surround the shock, as hereinafter described, may be engaged. The tongue 7 is further strength-v ened and braced by a vertically-disposed I inclined bar 23, which has its lower rear end secured upon the top of the tongue 7, so that it partially enters the shock, and its upper forward or inner end secured to the upper end of a standard 24, provided upon the center of the top of the tongue. The standard 24 is strengthened by diagonal braces 25, connected to the axle 2, and the bar 23 is strengthened by an inclined brace 26.

Upon the bar 23 and upright 24 are mounted guides for a cable 27, which extends around the shock to compress the same and which is wound upon a Windlass 28, mounted in bearings 29 upon the forward portions of the side beams or sills 3. This windlass carries upon its center a ratchet wheel 30, which is engaged by a spring-pawl 31 upon the bifurcated lower end of an operating-lever 32. This lever straddles the ratchetwheel and swings upon the Windlass, as clearly shown in the drawings. A pivoted pawl or dog 33 is provided in a suitable bracket upon one of the cross-bars 4, so that it drops by gravity into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 30 and prevents retrograde movement of the same. The cable 27 is preferably composed of two halves or sections, which are wound upon the Windlass upon opposite sides of its ratchetwheel and which have upon their free ends hooks or other connections 34, which permit them to be readily connected and disconnected. These cables 27 pass around grooved guide-pulleys 35, which are adjustably mounted upon the upper portion of the upright or standard 24. The adjustment of these guide-pulleys is preferably effected by passing their pivot-bolt or journal 36 through one of a vertical series of openings 37 in the upright 24 and through openings in the parallel ends or arms of a U-shaped bracket or clip 38, as clearly shown in the drawings. The cable 27 also passes through pulley blocks or sheaves 39, which are loosely mounted or pivoted in an eye or loop 40, carried by a U-shaped clip or bracket 41, which is adjustable upon the inclined bar 23. The adjustment of this bracket 41 is preferably effected by passing a bolt through it and through one of a longitudinal series of openings 42 in the bar 23. By adj ustably mounting the guide devices 35 39 it will be seen that the point of engagement of the cables with the shock may be raised and lowered, according to the size of the latter, so that the degree of compression of the shock may be varied as desired, and the fulcrum or lifting power may also be regulated.

Instead of employing hooks 34 upon the ends of the cable-sections I may use the latch device shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Th is device comprises a loop or eye 45, which is attached to the end of one of the cable sections and which is adapted to engage one of the jaws 46 upon a pair of levers 47, which It will be seen that when the link 45 is en-' gaged with the jaws 46 of one of the levers 47 and the keeper-sections are drawn upon said parts will be held in their closed position, as shown in Fig. 7, the shape of the jaws 46 permitting this, and that when the trip-cord 52 is drawn upon the levers 47 will be swung upon their pivots to separate the jaws 46 and release the link 45, and hence the two sec tions of the cable.

The operation of the loader is as follows: When the parts are in their normal position, (shown in Fig. 1,) the machine is backed into a shock, so that its tongue or pole 7 passes centrally through the same. The free ends of the cables 27 are then passed in opposite directions around the shock and beneath the tongue and are secured together by engaging their hooks or connections with each other. The lever 32 is then operated to wind the opposite ends of the cables upon the Windlass,

so that the shock will be first compressed and then elevated upon the load er by the upward swinging movement of the lifting-frame 6, the latter turning up on the spindle of therear axle, as previously stated. Owing to the construction of the lifting-frame and the arrangement of the cables thereon, it will be seen that the shock will be compressed to a sufficient extent without pulling the same out of plumb, so that when it is again lowered upon the ground after transportation it will rest in an upright position.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a shock-lifter, a swlnging compression-frame having gathering-arms, a tongue extending from said frame between said arms, an upright portion upon said frame, guide devices adjustably mounted upon the upright portion of said frame, and a flexible connection engaged with said guide devices and adapted to be passed about the shock.

2. In a shock-lifter, a swinging compression-frame having gathering-arms and a tongue disposed between said arms, and downwardly and outwardly projecting deflector-arms 17.

3. In a shock-lifter, a swinging compression-frame comprising the axle 2, the tongue 7, the cross-bar 10 having gathering-arms 15, ends 13, and the pivots 14 passed through the 10 the deflector-arms 1.7, the upright 24, the latter and'said sills, substantially as described. inclined bar23, and means for clamping a In testimony whereof I have hereunto set shock upon the bars 10 and 23, substantially my hand in presence of two subscribing witas described. nesses.

4. In a. shock-loader, the combination with FRANK JOHNSON. the sills 3 of a swinging compression-frame Witnesses: comprising the axle 2, the tongue 7, the cross- CHAS. H. TOEDTMANN,

bar 10, the brace-bars 11, 12 having spaced HUGO L. BoHL. 

